Panasonic G9 versus Panasonic GH5s

The Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in November 2017 and January 2018. Both the G9 and the GH5s are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The G9 has a resolution of 20.2 megapixel, whereas the GH5s provides 9.9 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Panasonic G9 vs Panasonic GH5s

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic G9 and the Panasonic GH5s. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the G9 – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Panasonic GH5s is somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Panasonic G9. Moreover, the GH5s is slightly heavier (0 percent) than the G9. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses.
You can find an overview of suitable optics in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The G9 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 32 percent) than the GH5s, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Panasonic G9 vs Panasonic GH5s

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor
(sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras
that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the G9 offers a higher
resolution of 20.2 megapixel, compared with 9.9 MP of the GH5s.
This megapixel advantage translates into a 41 percent gain in linear resolution.
On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the G9 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 4.77μm for the GH5s). It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are
from the same technological generation. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

Unlike the GH5s, the G9 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80.6MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/60p).

Feature comparison: Panasonic G9 vs Panasonic GH5s

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The G9 and the GH5s are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight.
Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 3680k dots. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic G9 and Panasonic GH5s along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, both cameras feature
an electronic shutter, which makes silent shooting and higher burst speeds possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

Both the G9 and the GH5s are current models that good online retailers will have in stock. You can check the latest prices, for example,
at amazon. The G9 replaced the earlier Panasonic G85, while the GH5s does not have a direct predecessor.

Review summary: Panasonic G9 vs Panasonic GH5s

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic G9 or the Panasonic GH5s – has the upper hand? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5s:

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the G9 is the clear winner of the match-up (6 : 2 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

G9 06:02 GH5s

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G9 or the GH5s. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The detailed reviews can be accessed by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

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